Michael Richards' Houseboat

[Hollywood Heidi]

Michael Richards' Houseboat

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

The bright light blurred the world and caused him pain as Michael opened his eyes, Micheal's head dangled over the back of the deck chair in the same position in which he had fallen asleep the previous night. After the realization that sleep was not going to set back in Michael's torso heaved itself into a sitting up position before turning to pick up the flask that was sitting on the deck floor. With a twist of the cap the flash was open and pushed against his lips as his head tipped back only nothing fell down his throat. With a sigh Michael held the flask by the top right hand corner with his thumb and index finger, leaving his other 3 fingers to stick out, he shook the flash hoping against hope for some kind of rattle. As he fear all he got was silence and the flask was dropped as he stood up and made his way into the cabin, upon entering the cabin all cupboards and compartments were checked feverishly as things were thrown across the room. "Why must the rum ALWAYS be gone!"

*Michael exits to the Docks*

[Hollywood Heidi]

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The clock, which has been stuck at 8:15 for as long as anyone can remember, began to move once again promptly at 8:15 p.m.


Several hours pass.  It is now the morning after the clock has started.


A few may have noticed the clock moving last night and those close enough may have realized when it chimed the 9 p.m. hour.  Others may have learned by word of mouth or not until they next arrived in town.

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[The Jester Of Tortuga]

Michael walked down a darkened stoney aisle only he wasn't Michael, he was dressed in as a Pirate with long hair, a very fashionable hat and was carrying an oar. He could smell the sea from where he was while the touch of rum could be found on his tongue and there was a pain in the back of his head. Michael walked forward only to find himself confront by a rather rag tag group of pirates.

"You're suppose to be dead." a familiar balding pirate called out as more pirates gathered in front of Michael

"Am I not?" Michael said in shock as he felt is body with his free hand while the other clutched at the oar.

Not liking his odds against the group of pirates Michael turned around with a stumble before walking directly into the blade of another group of pirates. It was during the time when a pirate behind the one with the sword pulled a gun on him that Michael didn't fancy his chanced leaving in this direction so he turned around to try the opposite way only to be confronted by the same group of pirates again as they had yet to move and now pointed more guns and blades at him.

"Paleley?" no that wasn't right, Michael scrunched his face up as he tried to think of the correct term. "Parlelellyleloooo." Still not the right term. "Par...le...nee, partner, par...snip, parsley..."

"Parley?" A pirate with a wooden eye interjected.

"That's the one!" Michael declared while pointing at the wooden eyed pirate "Parley, parley!"

"Parley?" the balding pirate angrily sneered at the one with a wooden eye "Damn to the depths whatever man what thought of parley."

Leaning in Michael pushed the balding mans gun to the side before informing in "That would be the French"

And just as weirdly as it had come the dream vanished and Michael found himself staring at the roof of his houseboat and a woman had some relations with a day prior to this.

"Back to ride the carnal carousal love?"

[Hollywood Heidi]

Gabriella balanced the cup holder containing two coffees and a bag of two breakfast sandwiches in one hand as she knocked on the sliding glass door.

"Come on, Gabs, I'm dying of curiosity," Elle's voice echoed in Gabriella's head.

"Then die already," Gabriela muttered quietly in response.

"Tsk, tsk," was the reply.  Elle remained quiet, most likely because she was on the threshold of having her curiosity quenched.  Since Gabriella had awoken, her head rang with Elle's pestering questions of who this mystery person was and how the boring little anti-social mouse had gone about making a friend.  Elle had sensed in the way Gabriella was carrying herself that morning and the fact that she'd taken some care to look decent rather than go out of her way to 'ugly up', as Elle had taken to calling it, that there was something more than treasure hunting going on.

Gabriella sighed as her knock went unanswered.  She gave the sliding door a pull and it opened.  Why was she not surprised he didn't keep it locked?  Gabriella wandered in and over to Michael's sleeping form.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," she said as she jostled his bed with her foot.

"Mm, he's yummy."  Gabriella mentally glared at Elle.


"Back to ride the carnal carousal love?"

With her back to him as she placed down the breakfast, Gabriella cringed.  One single sentence and Elle had her answer. "Oooooh, can we?"  Gabriella could picture Elle excitedly clapping while hopping from foot to foot.  Gabriella ignored her and carried on as best she could in a normal manner.

"A lover and a poet!" she said as she walked back to beside the bed.  She batted her eyelashes and held her clasped hands to her heart, playing the innocent swoony maiden.  "However did I get so lucky?" she sighed and then chuckled at herself.  "As tempting of an offer as that is, we really should get a move on.  I've brought breakfast."

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"A lover and a poet!"

"We all have our crosses to bear love." Michael said while standing up.

"However did I get so lucky? As tempting of an offer as that is, we really should get a move on. I've brought breakfast."

Michael sniffed at the shirt he fell asleep in before scrunching his face up and sticking his tongue out before promptly removing said shirt. Next he walked over to her and stood in close behind her looking at the breakfast over her shoulder which he would place good money on (had he any to bet) it not being Irished up which was a shame as sharing a breakfast with Captain Morgan had become almost a tradition in his house boat hold. Ignoring his assumptions Michael moved in tighter behind Gabriella and placed a hand on her wrist sensually sliding his fingers along her wrist and forearm as he would a fretboard on a guitar while the fingertips on his other hand lightly caressed her stomach. Michael then processed to kiss down her neck in between his words.

"Not all breakfast is coffee and sammiches, savvy?"

[Hollywood Heidi]

Gabriella closed her eyes and sighed as she automatically tilted her head to give him better access.  She could feel Elle leering and mentally cursed her as she turned in his arms and placed her own around his neck, casually running her fingers through his hair.

"Oh, you know how very savvy I am in that regard but," she sighed, "you know if we get into that bed we probably won't be getting out of it."  Gabriella reluctantly pulled away.  "We've got some treasure hunting to do.  That was not a euphemism," she said with a wicked smirk as she playfully smacked his hands away.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"Oh, you know how very savvy I am in that regard but,""you know if we get into that bed we probably won't be getting out of it."

Michael gave a quick nod in agreement, not that he would really complain about it, there are worse ways to spend a day after all.

"We've got some treasure hunting to do. That was not a euphemism,"

"Aye then let us depart to the sea of... the departed..." Michael snatched the coffee she had brought in and took a sip before spitting it out, as he suspected. "Why is there no rum in this?" before placing it back where he had snatched it from. Michael began to walk to the 'helm' of his 'ship' stopping to pick up a shirt sniff it and discarding it. A couple more steps, another shirt and a different smell he couldn't identify followed by another and another. Finally he found a long brown leather jacket that smelt mostly okish and decided to throw that on.

"First mate Stevensinson..." Michael started his 'ships' engine and gave an intense glare to the horizon "I'm going to need a really nice hat."

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Why is there no rum in this?"

"Because Granny's doesn't accept the 'it's noon somewhere' reasoning," she said dryly as she watched him check and discard several shirts scattered about the cabin.


"First mate Stevensinson..." "I'm going to need a really nice hat."

She couldn't help but smile in amusement at the serious intensity with which he stared down the horizon. "I could see about tracking one down in that upheaval, Captain," she called out as she made quick work of releasing the lines from the dock, "but first, let's get this adventure started."

As they headed out, Gabriella settled beside Michael. She took a deep breathe and let it out on a sigh as the familiar feel of sailing washed over her. It had been a long time and she missed it more than she realized. "How often do you take her out?" she asked as she lovingly caressed the helm.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

There it was complete and utter freedom, the rising and falling of the houseboat, the spray of sea on the windows and the smell of salt air filling his nostrils, this was indeed the life. Of course attractive first mates help things too.

"Just the once love, the rest of the time was spent in your bedroom." Michael turned the helm slightly "And then in your shower... Aswell as your living room."

Michael turned the helm again.

"Do we have a heading first mate Gibbs, er Stevensensonsin?"

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Just the once love, the rest of the time was spent in your bedroom." "And then in your shower... Aswell as your living room."

Gabriella laughed as she playfully slapped his arm. "You know very well I meant the boat."

"You little hussy!" Gabriella sobered as Elle's mock accusation laced with approval rang in her head.


"Do we have a heading first mate Gibbs, er Stevensensonsin?"

Thankfully the timing fit right in with Michael's turn toward semi-seriousness in regards to their heading. She managed to muster back her smile. "I'll fetch the map," she said as she headed back into the cabin.

Once she was out of earshot, she angrily whispered under her breath to Elle. "If you don't shut up and keep your unwanted comments to yourself, you'll ruin this for the both of us."


Taking Elle's silence as a sign her threat had been acknowledged, Gabriella attempted a return to normalcy. "Who's Gibbs?" she called out as she rummaged through the mess. Perhaps an old sailing mate of his? Or some other woman he'd had a dalliance with. She cringed and wished she'd had let the slip up pass. If it was some other woman, she was making things awkward by potentially coming off as jealous.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"Who's Gibbs?"

Michael went to open his mouth to speak before closing it again, that was the million dollar question wasn't it, who was Gibbs? Walking away from the helm, leaving them at the seas mercy, Michael paced around quizzically a puzzled expression on his face.

"No that was Scarlet..." Michael muttered to himself "No idea love, but you keep thinking on that and let me know if you remember who he is."

[Hollywood Heidi]

Shoving aside some old papers and a pizza box filled with half a who knows how old pizza on the table, she finally found the map. Brushing off the crumbs, she held it up to study it, hearing him mutter what sounded like scarlet before he spoke.

"No idea love, but you keep thinking on that and let me know if you remember who he is."

She turned, looking at him, past him to the empty helm, and then back at him again. "Iiiiis, Gibbs your imaginary second mate currently steering your boat? Or are you just letting fate steer us?" she joked with a smirk, taking the deserted helm as an invitation to take over. Gabriella held the wheel steady as she placed the map across the console next to her, her fingers gently tracing over it as she searched through the elaborate writing and drawings for the tiny spot of the supposed Storybrooke cliffs below Tarzan's Lookout tucked somewhere within.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"Iiiiis, Gibbs your imaginary second mate currently steering your boat? Or are you just letting fate steer us?"

The corners of Michael's mouth twitched upwards, "The sea is just like fate love." With careful footing Michael made his way over to Gabriella standing behind her with a gentle sway to his body. "When its calm and sunny everyone is all set to cruise in and lay about the deck in their bikinis not a care in the world allowing the sea to carry them where it will while the sun reflects off the surface like little invaluable diamonds." Michael placed his index and middle finger along Gabriella's shoulders and begun to walk them towards her neck. "But when the tide turns, the seas become rough and the vibrant summer colours turn dull and gray that is when they turn and blame the course for the sea is a harsh mistress abundantly fulled with the beauty of all manor of treasures and beasties." Michael's fingers now tenderly walked up her neck and toward her chin, upon reaching their destination Michael turned his hand brushing the back of his fingers along her cheek. "Course I am the Captain love. No matter how rough and difficult the seas get I always prevail, savvy?"

[Hollywood Heidi]

Gabriella couldn't help but smile at his unwavering confidence. She was glad she had her back to him for there was a sadness to her smile. She had no doubt he could weather nearly any storm but the "beastie" within her could create a path of destruction in her wake the likes of a tsunami.

Gabriella took one hand off the wheel to cover the hand he had to her cheek. She pressed her cheek into his palm before lacing her fingers through his, resting their joined hands on her shoulder as she leaned back against him.

"We are approaching our destination, Captain." She slowed the boat as they approached, turning the wheel to put them more on a parallel in case of unpredictable changes in depth often times near land. It would certainly not do to come across a sudden shallow and capsize his ship. Gabriella stepped aside, releasing his hand to make a sweeping gesture toward the wheel. "I'll let you do the honors."

She remained beside him, squinting at the approaching cliff side. Spotting a telescope, she extending it as she peered through, scrutinizing the cliff side. "There," she said, pointing. "There's a small inlet. If we're lucky, the waters will be deep enough to make anchor right along cliff side."

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

***Michael and Gabriella enter from Cliffside Caves***


As Ella fought of whatever was in his shower Michael brought them to Storybrooke dock as requested so Ella could go and play nurse, a thought that sat well with him

***Time jump for them to go wherever they need***

[Hollywood Heidi]

Gabriella didn't have much time to shower off the dirt of the caves and the climb up and back down to the boat.  The journey to shore wasn't long and most of her time was spent giving the ghastly shower a quick scrub before using it, otherwise she'd have just had to shower again at the hospital.

She was quickly dressed and rushing for the exit as the boat docked.

"Thanks," she said, giving Michael a quick peck on the cheek as she rushed by.  "We'll go again soon, with better supplies," she promised with a smile over her shoulder.

The strong smell of the recent fire as she ran down the dock toward town made her put her excitement over finding something in the caves on hold.


***Gabriella exits to Storybrooke General Hospital***

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

Michael sat at a small table on his houseboat which gently swayed with the lapping rhythmic waves of the sea at the docks. In his hand he held the small black box containing the compass which he inspected carefully before flipping it open. Inspecting the inside he could see that there was no change and it was still broken, the red north point arrow still hectically spun around with what he could assume had no inkling to stop. Placing the ever spinning compass on the table with a sigh Michael looked around his small boat house, he had grown bored and sober as a certain doctor had got him all revved up with treasure hunting and sexual tension and he now had no place to go, but at least he could drink. Placing a glass next the compass he proceeded to pour the last of a bottle of rum into it, not even half a glass but it would have to do. Michael began to reach for the glass only for his arm to slow right down as he noticed the small red arrow of the compass slowing down its red tip setting on the direction of the rum filled glass for a second before continuing its chaotic spinning. Michael picked up the glass and downed the contents slamming the glass down on the table once again his eyes locked on the compass.

"Well now that... is... interesting."

[Hollywood Heidi]

***Gabriella enters from Storybrooke General Hospital***

Gabriella was feeling a bit drained as she approached Michael's houseboat. It wasn't even afternoon yet but after a mental log of all she'd done today, it was no wonder. She'd climbed the cliff to the caves, done some treasure hunting, rushed back for an emergency at the hospital and put in a quick round since she was already there, and now here she was again, getting ready to climb the cliffs. Again.

She'd love to have just gone home and relaxed the rest of the day but the control Mr. Gold had over her issue scared the hell out of her. Hopefully she'd find something better than a broken compass to take back to him. Something good enough to fulfill her end of the deal so that he'd leave her alone but more importantly, so she'd get her end of the bargain; answers and a solution to getting rid of Elle.

"Knock, knock!" she called out in lieu of having an actual door to knock on. Gabriella stepped on board and wandered toward the cabin. She stepped into the open doorway to find him just sitting still in his seat, apparently lost in thought. This time, she knocked on the actual ajar door. "Ready to head out again, Captain?" she asked, a bit of worry in her voice over how uncharacteristically quiet and contemplative he seemed to be.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

He find himself in some sort of hut, it was small and poorly lit a menagerie of things in jars hung from the ceiling and stacks of god knows what cluttered the sides of the building. A dark skinned women emerged from the shadows, her hair a mess of tangled dreadlocks, she begun to speak only the voice didn't match the body it was coming from yet it was a voice he had recognized.

"Ready to head out again, Captain?"

And like that the distant memory was gone as the familiar surroundings of his house boat came into view the scattered dream now too far to even recall. Michael reach for his glass and went to drink from it only to find it empty. Quickly placing it back down he shut the compass and turn to gaze at Gabriella. Michael hadn't notice the time pass as he gazed into the compass and now all he was left with was a feeling something wasn't right, a contemplation that reality was a lie which he took too mean he was too sober.

"Ah... Where are we going?" Michael had to ask in his confused state

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Neverland," she joked, seeing that he still didn't appear all quite there. She eyed him with concern as she moved to the table where he sat. "The caves, of course. You feeling okay?"

Gabriella leaned closer, gently turning his head toward her at a better angle for a clinical study. His pupils weren't dilated. His coloring seemed fine. The only detection of something possibly inhibiting his neurons from functioning properly was the smell of rum. Then again, he always seemed to smell of rum and it hadn't been much of a hinder thus far.

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"The caves, of course. You feeling okay?"

Good question.

"Course I am, just a bad case of Deja Voodoo savvy."

Or was that sobriety? Michael stood and made his way over to Gabby and got in close to her reaching his hand around to grab her butt.

"Refresh me again as to which cave I am re-exploring love?" he suggestively questioned her while giving her butt a squeeze.

[Hollywood Heidi]

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Several hours pass and it is now the evening after the clock started moving.

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[Hollywood Heidi]

After a little flirting, she'd suggested they get some treasure hunting in while they'd still had light. As enticing as his advances were, Gabriella had already been tired from their early morning's hunting, an emergency dash to the hospital followed by a round since she was already there, then a dash back. If she didn't have Mr. Gold's threat hanging over her head, she'd have gone straight home and continued the treasure hunting another day.


They'd just pulled back to the docks, finally having climbed down from the caves when they'd lost the last of the sun. Etta lids were heavy with her exhaustion. She still had to check in with Mr. Gold and unfortunately, their findings had been meager and insignificant. Etta was completely in the dark as to what to expect of Mr. Gold's reaction. Was there something specific he was looking for? Things of a certain value he could sell in his shop? Just how hard was he expecting her to work and for how long before she got the answers she wanted?

A wave jostled the ship, making her realize she'd been in an exhausted, quiet, daydream-like state with her thoughts. She pulled herself back to the moment and turned to Michael. "Thanks for taking me out again," she said with a tired smile. "I'll take these to the pawn shop and see what we can get for them." Etta eyed the compass that Michael appeared to have grown attached to. He never seemed to put it down. "What about that?" she asked, pointing to the item in his hand. "Want me to see what it's worth?

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"Thanks for taking me out again,""I'll take these to the pawn shop and see what we can get for them.""What about that?""Want me to see what it's worth?

She was eyeing up his compass and Michael wasn't entirely sure he was comfortable with her gaze and tightened his gripped on it. He hadn't asked for any of the booty they had found, well in regards to treasure anyway, but the compass there was just something about it. Plus there was the odd thing it did where it undeniably pointed towards booze which was a handy thing to possess.

"Sure it's worth nothing love, doesn't even point North. If it is all the same to you might just hold on to it, remind me to keep my bearings."

[Hollywood Heidi]

Gabriella approached him to have a closer look as he spoke. The needle seemed to have a mind of its own, turning despite the fact he was standing still and looking as if it was deciding what its own personal idea of "north" was. Very peculiar.

It looked so natural in his hands. A strange familiarity between himself and the compass as if the two were communicating with each other in some private understanding.

Gabriella smiled at the fanciful notion. "It suits you," she said, watching again as the needle twitched, defying what was expected of it and choosing its own direction. That made the corners of her mouth quirk up in amusement as she looked up at him. "Kinda reminds me of you."

The alarm on her phone began to chime, reminding her that Mr. Gold's shop would be closing soon. "Gotta run." Gabriella leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks again," she said, immediately going into motion. She grabbed the small box of meager items and rushed toward the dock. "I'll see you again soon, Captain!" Gabriella called as she disappeared from the cabin.


***Gabriella exits to Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer***

[The Jester Of Tortuga]

"I'll see you again soon, Captain!"

And with that she was gone. Michael looked down at the compass to see that it had stopping aimlessly spinning and had fixed itself to pointing towards the direction Gabriella had left before it spun wildly again. He hated to see her leave but loved to see her walk away, though at first it pointed to rum and now it pointed towards the direction she left, she must have been holding out on him.

"It suits you,""Kinda reminds me of you."

"Now what did she mean by that?" Michael asked himself aloud while aimlessly walking in a circle.

[Hollywood Heidi]

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The night passes and it is now Tuesday morning,

two days after the clock started moving.

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[Hollywood Heidi]

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The rest of Tuesday passes uneventfully.


It is now Wednesday, October 26, 2011, early morning.


Three days after the clock started moving

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[Hollywood Heidi]

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The rest of Wednesday passes uneventfully.


It is now Thursday, October 27, 2011, early morning.


Four days after the clock started moving

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